The board awarded the contract to replace the existing 24-year-old administration building roof to Morrisville’s KPI 2 Inc. The winning bid was $75,820.

In addition, the supervisors approved a set of bids for the new police administration building, including general, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and fire sprinkler systems contracts. The combined construction costs total $3,177,607. In addition, a plumbing change order of $6,584 was approved.

Advertisement

Architects Richard Kapusta and Co. of Telford designed the township’s new 12,000-square-foot police administration building based upon a similar facility in Montgomery County. The Franconia Township police complex was recognized by the local police chief association as being a functional design.

Described by Assistant Township Manager Lee Milligan as a “semi-hardened building,” the two-story administration complex addition will have higher wind load and structural standards as well as an on-site backup generator. It will be able to serve as an emergency operation center “should the township face quasi-catastrophic conditions.”

The 10,796-square-foot main floor will includes a bulletproof public lobby, offices, a training room, restrooms and staff locker rooms, and other police process and management spaces. A garage-like sally port will be used to transfer prisoners from vehicles into ADA-certified holding cells. Mechanical equipment and department storage will occupy the slightly less-than 3,000-square-foot second floor. Additional police and employee vehicle parking will be provided along the new building’s perimeter.

Milligan reported no decision has been made regarding which township administration services will relocate into the former police department space.

In other news, Hollow Road resident Lynn Simms told the supervisors, “we want to express our gratitude to Chief Toomey for taking the initiate to come over and address our problem with speeders on Hollow Road and Port Providence Road.”

After Simms and her husband Robert described the problems during a July supervisors meeting month, Chief Toomey toured the Port Providence streets with Simms.

Chief Toomey admitted, “we’re working on it.” Toomey has been managing the safety upgrade logistics in the canal area neighborhood with township traffic engineer Ken O’Brien. On their list of proposed changes are new roadway pedestrian crossing markings and improved road signage. He admitted, “we think we can provide for better visual assessment of the intersection.”